Investigator appointed in Sandy Spring’s Farm Road dispute

Montgomery planning board taps Douglas Bregman

The Montgomery County Planning Board has appointed an independent counsel to investigate whether improper documents and faulty information in the 2001 approval of a Sandy Spring development led to several county residents being denied legal addresses for their land.

Douglas Bregman, a Bethesda lawyer specializing in complex real estate matters, will conduct a probe of the issue that is expected to last several weeks. Bregman will report directly to the planning board.

Farm Road provides the only access for several property owners to reach their land, but the approval of the Dellabrooke subdivision effectively eliminated the road, and property owners who have requested addresses have been told they do not qualify, rendering their properties all but useless.